On 18 Oct 67, during her first deployment, Perth was hit by an
artillery shell which penetrated one deck. In her six-month
deployment HMAS Perth came under fire four times and was the
only Australian ship hit by enemy fire.

Between 1967 and 1971, Australian destroyers were attached to
the United States Seventh fleet for six-month tours of duty.
HMAS Hobart was the first Australian destroyer deployed. During
her second deployment to Vietnam, Hobart was accidentally
attacked by US aircraft. The ship was damaged and two
Australians were killed. During her second deployment Hobart was
under fire on three occasions. The deployment was mainly
involved in NGFS in support of a joint Australian/ARVN sweep
between the Long Hai hills and the coastline.

HMAS Vendetta

15 Sep 69 -11 Apr 70

HMAS Vendetta was the only Australian-built warship to serve
in Vietnam and was the first Australian Daring Class destroyer
to see active service. During her one deployment, Vendetta
steamed 39,558 miles and fired more than 13,000 shells.

In early 1967 a team of one officer and five sailors known as
Clearance Diving Team 3 formed for service in Vietnam. The team
was assigned to Vung Tau Harbour defence between Feb 67 and Aug
70, and was then stationed at Da Nang until Apr 71 when the unit
was withdrawn from Vietnam. Eight contingents saw service in
Vietnam.

RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam

16 Oct 67 - 14 Jun 71

On 16 Oct 67 eight RAN helicopter pilots and support staff
joined the US Army 135th Assault Helicopter Company in Vietnam.
The RAN contingents served with the Americans till 1971. The RAN
pilots flew their last mission on 8 Jun 71 and the experiment of
a mixed Australian Navy and American Army helicopter unit had
been successful.

RAN Detachment 9 Squadron RAAF

Jun 66 - May 69

The RAN Detachment of 9 Squadron RAAF comprised eight Fleet
Air Arm pilots operating in direct support of the 1st Australian
Task Force. Australian Force Logistic Support All three
Australian services provided logistic support to Australian
forces in Vietnam.

HMAS Sydney

May 65 -11 Mar 72

The troop transport HMAS Sydney was the first RAN ship to have
operational service in Vietnam. She completed 22 voyages in 7
years.

HMAS Jeparit

9 Jun 66 -15 Mar 72

Formerly the Australian National Line cargo ship - MV Jeparit.
She completed 43 voyages to Vietnam carrying military supplies
and civil aid cargoes. She was commissioned into the RAN on
11 Dec 69 and paid off on 15 Mar 72.

HMAS Boonaroo

May 66

Formerly the Australian National Line cargo ship - MV Boonaroo,
was commissioned into the RAN 1 Mar 67 and paid off 8 May l967.
She completed 2 voyages to Vietnam.

RAN Medical Officers

Thirteen RAN RANR and RANVR served in Vietnam. Some served on
the Australian destroyers and others with the 1st Australian
Field Hospital and with the US Army and Naval Hospitals.

RAN Chaplains

Fleet Chaplains attended to the spiritual needs of RAN, and
allied servicemen in Vietnam.

Army

Australian Force Vietnam (AFV)

Headquarters Australian Army Force Vietnam

Headquarters Army Assistance Group Vietnam

Australian Embassy Guard Platoon

Defence and Employment Platoon

Field Operations Research Section

Headquarters Australian Force Vietnam Cash Office

Australian Civil Affairs Unit

Postal Unit

AFV Provost Detachment

The function of Headquarters was the administrative command of
all Australian forces in Vietnam. Initially, it was headquarters
for Army units. From May l966, as the other services assumed an
operational role in Vietnam, it included both Navy and RAAF
components. The total strength was approximately 250.

1 Australian Task Force (1ATF)

Headquarters 1 Australian Task Force

Detachment 1 Division Cash Office

Detachment Australian Force Vietnam Cash Office

Provost Section 1 Provost Company (AFV Provost)

Australian Force Vietnam Provost Unit

1 Australian Reinforcement Unit (1 ARU)

Defence and Employment Platoon (Hawke Force)

104 Signals Squadron

HQ 1 ATF commanded the Task Force. The Task Force included
infantry battalions, an artillery regiment, an armoured
squadron, a cavalry squadron, and other supporting arms and
services. Approximately 200 staff at Headquarters planned and
controlled operations. HQ 1 ATF was located at Nui Dat in Phuoc
Tuy Province between Apr 66 and Dec 71.

Australian Logistic Support Company1

This unit was a part of the 1 RAR Group that deployed to
Vietnam on 25 May 1965 and it was redesignated as 1 ALSG on 6
April 1966 . See next entry for information about 1 ALSG.

1 Australian Logistic Support Group (1 ALSG)

Australian Logistic Support Company Headquarters

1 Australian Logistic Support Group

2 Detachment Australian Force Vietnam

Cash Office

Detachment 1 Division Postal Unit

Detachment 1 Comm Z Postal Unit

Detachment 5 ASCO Unit

Headquarters 2 Australian Force Canteen Unit (AFCU)

Detachment 2 AFCU

1 Platoon 2 AFCU

67 Ground Liaison (GL) Section

1 Australian Rest and Convalescence Centre

AFV Amenities and Welfare Unit

1 Psychological Operations Unit

AFV Provost HQ

110 Signals Squadron

The role of 1 ALSG was to command logistic support units. HQ
also commanded seven detachments of logistic support elements
with a total strength of 149. Upon the establishment of the 1st
Australian Task Force at Nui Dat on 1 Apr 66, 1 ALSG was raised
at Vung Tau. HQ 1 ALSG commanded 19 units and sub-units, with a
total strength of 1015. Units under command of HQ 1 ALSG
provided logistic support to all Australian forces in SVN,
including the RAAF and RAN.

On 24 May 62 the Minister for Defence, Mr. Townley, announced
that up to 30 military advisers were to be sent to Vietnam.
This announcement preceded the formation of the Australian Army
Training Team Vietnam, which arrived in Saigon on 3 Aug 62.
For the next 10 years members were rotated through the team for
a 12-month tour of duty. The team was withdrawn from
Vietnam and disbanded on 19 Dec 72. As the war
progressed team members were gradually spread throughout South
Vietnam and into the Mekong Delta. In 70 the team began to
concentrate in Phuoc Tuy Province to the east of Saigon, and by
72 the entire team was located there.

The Primary role of the team was to provide training to the
Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) but by 1964 emphasis had
shifted to advising South Vietnamese field units, para military
forces and Special Forces. In some cases team members
commanded units rather than advised. In 1970 the
team reverted to its original role of training.

The AATTV became the most highly decorated Australian unit
ever, its decorations including four VCs , two DSOs, three OBEs,
six MBEs, six MCs, 20 DCMs, 49 MIDs as well as numerous other
Australian and foreign decorations. The unit was awarded
the United States Meritorious Unit Citation and the Vietnamese
Cross of Gallantry. AATTV members participated in almost all
major battles involving the ARVN in 1 Corps from 1964 to 1970.
Of the 990 who served with AATTV, 33 died on active service in
South Vietnam and 122 were wounded in action. Ten members of the
Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment served with the team.

The first RAAF operational unit to see service in Vietnam, the
RAAF transport flight, arrived in Aug 64 with six Caribou
aircraft. The unit was redesignated as No. 35 Squadron on
1 Jun 66. The Squadron left Vietnam in Feb 72. No.9 Squadron Apr
66 - Nov 71 No.9 Squadron, equipped with Iroquois helicopters
was allotted to the 1st Australian Task Force. No. 2 Squadron
Apr 67 - Jun 71 The third and last RAAF operational squadron to
serve in Vietnam was No.2 Squadron. It returned to Australia in
Jun 71, 13 years after having left Australia from Darwin en
route to Butterworth, Malaysia. RAAF Members also
served with the United States Air Force 64 - 72.
RAAF fighter pilots were given the opportunity of serving in
Vietnam as Forward Air Controllers. In addition to duty as
FACs, six fighter pilots also saw service in American phantom
squadrons in Vietnam.

RAAF Nursing Service MEDEVAC Flight)

RAAF nurses tended the wounded on the medical evacuation
aircraft which transported them from Vietnam to Australia
usually via Malaysia.

RAAF Chaplains

RAAF Chaplains attended to the spiritual needs of RAAF
personnel as well as Australian and US troops.

Civilian and Philanthropic

Red Cross

The Australian Red Cross contributed a welfare worker who was
based at Vung Tau.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army maintained the Red Shield Hut.

War Correspondents

The Australian War Correspondents provided news and feature
stories for distribution to media in Australia.

Official War Artists, Historians and Photographers

As with other wars, official representatives were sent to
Vietnam to collect data, information and impressions of
Australia's military involvement.

Civilian Medical Teams

Civilian Medical Teams from major Australian hospitals were
sent to Vietnam as part of a civilian aid program.

Australian Entertainment Groups

Australian entertainers volunteered for service in Vietnam
with specific entertainment groups which were formed and
financed separately.

QANTAS Aircrew: there are approx 500 QANTAS Staff and aircrew who flew
the troops over and home when their tours were over, the QANTAS personnel were
awarded in 1994 the Vietnam Logistic Support Medal, In 2000 they were awarded
the AASM 45/75 clasp Vietnam the Boeing 707 did approx 300 flights in and out of
Tan son Nhut between 1964-1972.

Everyman's Welfare Organisation

Everyman's is a philanthropic organisation which supports the
Australian Defence Force. They provided moral support to
soldiers in the field from Recruit Training onwards.